Hagerman NWR Christmas Bird Count

BJ Kirkpatrick Lake Texoma news
Hagerman NWR Christmas Bird Count

Hagerman Christmas Bird CountThe Friends of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and the  Audubon society invites everyone to participate in its annual Christmas Bird Count.  This year’s count will take place at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, December 17th.

The Audubon Society describes this event as the nation’s longest running citizen science bird project.  The count, which began in 1900 as a replacement for the tradition of bird hunting on Christmas Day, provides important data about the state of the bird population throughout the world.  To date, over 200 peer-reviewed articles have resulted from analysis of the data gathered, and federal agencies use the data in decision making processes that impact bird populations.

Everyone with an interest is encouraged to participate in one of several different ways.

  • Volunteers can join the count at the refuge, with options of an early morning owl count, half-day (morning only), or full day participation. The owl count begins at 4:45 am and the regular count begins at 7:00 am, lasting until 5:00 pm for the full day. Teams are assigned specific areas within a fifteen mile radius and count all birds seen in their assigned area. Inexperienced birders are teamed with more experienced team members.
  • If you live within the fifteen mile Hagerman Circle area, you can also participate in the feeder watch program, counting all birds at your home feeder on that day.
  • Volunteers can pre-register at http://www.friendsofhagerman.com/ or register upon arrival at the refuge on the day of the count.
  • The Friends of Hagerman will provide a snack supper for the count volunteers, from 4 – 6 pm., in the FOH building.

Austin College Youth Basketball Clinic benefits Toys for Tots

BJ Kirkpatrick Austin College, Christmas Event

Roo BoundThe Austin College women’s basketball program will host its sixth annual Free Basketball Clinic for boys and girls, grades 2 through 8, on Sunday, December 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the College’s Robert Mason Complex.

The basketball fundamentals and skills clinic benefits Toys for Tots, and participants are encouraged to bring a small, unwrapped, holiday toy to be donated locally.

Participants will learn from the women’s college team and coaching staff. “We’ll teach the fundamentals of basketball including dribbling, passing, shooting, defense, and team work,” head women’s coach Michelle Filander said.

Pre-registration is not required, but will help with planning. To learn more or register, email the Austin College women’s basketball office at bharvey12@austincollege.edu. Parents may register their children the day of the event and are invited to observe the clinic.

Participants should wear comfortable clothes and gym shoes. Water fountains are available but children are welcome to bring water bottles. If children bring their own basketball (optional), it should be labeled with a first and last name.

Austin College to hold women’s health and cancer forum

BJ Kirkpatrick Austin College
Austin College to hold women’s health and cancer forum

mani-oFeatured speaker to address cancer progression and stem cells

Austin College welcomes Dr. Sendurai Mani, associate professor in the department of Translational Molecular Pathology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, to present “The Role of EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) and Stem Cells in Cancer Progression” at the Austin College Women’s Health and Cancer Forum on November 29 at 4:30 p.m. The forum events, supported by the Discovery Foundation and to be held in the Austin College IDEA Center’s Page Atrium and Room 127, are free and open to the public.

Mani is co-director of three MDACC groups related to metastasis research, and stem cell and developmental biology. He has received many awards related to his field, most recently the American Cancer Society Research Scholar for three consecutive years, 2012-2015.

Dr. Lance Barton, associate professor of biology at Austin College, began offering a course in Cancer Biology in 2014 and received support for the course from The Discovery Foundation of Dallas, Texas, in 2015. He used data gathered by his independent research students to develop the research project and accompanying course. The course integrates novel research into the laboratory portion of the class. Students in the class (and during a summer research component) generate new cancer cell lines through mutagenesis that can be further characterized in the course. For each new cell line generated, students collect data on genetic and genomic instability, metastatic potential, and proliferative capacity, while also learning the biological mechanisms behind these phenotypes of cancer and delving deeply into the primary literature through classroom discussions.

Prior to Mani’s lecture, Austin College students will present posters on various biology and cancer research topics in the IDEA Center Atrium at 3:30 p.m. Presenters from the Cancer Biology class include Madison Aliff ’17 of Placerville, California; Daniel Ahle ’17 of Plano, Texas; Victoria Campbell ’17 of Oakdale, Minnesota; Brandon Dang ’17 of Frisco, Texas; Alexandra Fusco ’17 of Ennis, Texas; Jay Jeon ’17 of Dallas, Texas; Simran Likhari ’18 of Plano, Texas; and Jason Shin ’17 of Southlake, Texas.

Presenters from Barton’s lab include Hannah Butterfield ’19 of Fort Worth, Texas; George Melchor ’17 of Uvalde, Texas; Kylie Peterson ’17 of Plano, Texas; and Dilan Shah ’17 of McKinney, Texas. Presenters from the research group of Dr. Brad Smucker, associate professor of chemistry, include Jiandu Hu ’18 of Guangzhou, China; and Marie Mortenson ’18 of Lucas, Texas.

Anna Nevels ’17 of Allen, Texas, will present from the group of Dr. James Hebda, assistant professor of chemistry, and Francisco Neal ’17 of Tesuque, New Mexico, will present his work from the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at UT Southwestern. Posters will be on display in the Page Atrium through November 30.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 40 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of approximately 1,275 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.